Charles Darwin sparked more than one controversy over the natural progression of life. One such case involved the evolution of coral atolls, the ring-shaped coral reefs that surround submerged ...

Scientists invited us to Penn State’s basement aquarium to see their colorful collection of “corals in captivity.” It takes a bit of travel to see the world’s coral reefs. Spectacular specimens can be ...

It is hard to court the opposite sex when you are cemented in place, which explains why polyps—the tiny creatures whose exoskeletons form corals—do not reproduce by mating. Instead they cast millions ...

Bleaching occurs when corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients. They expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn white. This ...